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MLIS CORE COMPETENCIES (Program Learning Outcomes)

Statement of Core Competencies (Program Learning Outcomes)

The curriculum for our MLIS program offers a multifaceted, wide-ranging selection of courses that allows students to follow a variety of Career Pathways or to pursue a more generalized program. At the same time, the School’s curriculum is grounded in and unified by a foundational core of knowledge, skills, and abilities—a set of Program Learning Outcomes—that define and unite information professionals regardless of where they practice.

Program Learning Outcomes are explicitly integrated into every course we offer, and every syllabus lists the relevant Program Learning Outcomes addressed in the course. Students demonstrate mastery of all Program Learning Outcomes for the degree before graduation by means of an e-Portfolio culminating experience. The e-Portfolio provides a program-based assessment as each student demonstrates mastery of all Program Learning Outcomes through reflective essays supported by a wide array of artifacts, evidence, exhibits, assignments, and experiences produced throughout their program.

Each graduate of the Master of Library and Information Science program is able to...

demonstrate awareness of the ethics, values, and foundational principles of one of the information professions, and discuss the importance of intellectual freedom within that profession;

describe and compare organizational settings in which information professionals practice;

recognize the diversity (such as cultural and economic) in the clientele and employees of an information organization and be familiar with actions the organization should take to address this diversity;

apply the fundamental principles of planning, management, marketing, and advocacy;

design, query, and evaluate information retrieval systems;

use the basic concepts and principles related to the selection, evaluation, organization, and preservation of physical and digital information items;

demonstrate understanding of basic principles and standards involved in organizing information such as classification and controlled vocabulary systems, cataloging systems, metadata schemas or other systems for making information accessible to a particular clientele;

demonstrate proficiency in identifying, using, and evaluating current and emerging information and communication technologies;

use service concepts, principles, and techniques to connect individuals or groups with accurate, relevant, and appropriate information;

describe the fundamental concepts of information-seeking behaviors;

design instructional programs based on learning principles and theories;

demonstrate understanding of quantitative and qualitative research methods, the ability to design a research project, and the ability to evaluate and synthesize research literature;

demonstrate oral and written communication skills necessary for professional work including collaboration and presentations;

evaluate programs and services using measurable criteria;

(For students entering from Spring 2015) Identify ways in which information professionals can contribute to the cultural, economic, educational, and social well-being of our global communities.;

These competencies are supplemented by statements specific to the school's career pathways.

The school provides structured opportunities and activities for the development of desirable personal attributes and qualities but recognizes a shared responsibility with the students themselves, associations, employers and other client groups. As articulated by professional associations, the school strives to develop commitment to service, flexibility, leadership, vision, communication, self-motivation, collaboration, mutual respect and trust, independence, respect for diversity, courage, tenacity, critical and creative thinking, professional involvement, networking and personal career planning.

Note: The letter beside each competency is for ease in identifying the competency in discussions and does not indicate any weighting or ordering of the competency.